As the number of COVID-19 patients continues to increase, so will the need for rehabilitation services. Rehabilitation therapies have been found to be an essential part of recovery for COVID-19 and other medically complex patients, and the expanded access to these services is needed in order to admit, treat and successfully return this population to the community. Additionally, having an experienced partner to rely on for the latest best practices surrounding COVID-19 and infection control has shown positive outcomes – and will further strengthen operations and outcomes even after the pandemic subsides.
Due to extensive stays in intensive care units and prolonged mechanical ventilation, many patients are not strong enough to undergo normal rehabilitation therapy protocols. This has resulted in temporary regulation changes which have opened the door to more patients receiving vital treatment to reach their recovery goals.
These circumstances make strong partnerships between short-term acute care hospitals and post-acute providers more important than ever. Benefits include:
- Overflow relief and increased patient access, with the opportunity to utilize rehabilitation for COVID-19 patient recovery
- Additional support in making clinically appropriate decisions for patient rehabilitative care
Furthermore, short-term acute care (STAC) hospitals have found increasing benefits in rehab partnerships, especially during these challenging times. Outsourcing rehabilitation management services allows hospitals to remain focused on managing their core service lines while relying on an expert to relieve the burden of running intensive rehabilitation services. This partnership model helps to ensure clinical excellence, all while helping patients achieve independence and return home after an extended hospital stay. This strategy not only benefits partners during a pandemic but also provides long-term clinical and operational success, while maintaining regulatory compliance.
Our partner STAC hospitals have found that the integration of rehabilitation partnership with Kindred Hospital Rehabilitation Services has positively impacted patient outcomes and helped them gain capacity as a result of transferring recovering patients to a more appropriate level of care.
Download this guide to learn about the impact of rehabilitation on recovery, key strategies hospitals can utilize to improve outcomes and a case study highlighting the benefits of partnership with Kindred Rehab.